Loose-leaf binder



A o MARSH LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Filed April '7, 195o July 7, 1953l Patented July 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE y a y 2,644,456,A a a Y Y' ',LoosE-'LEAF BINDER Allan 01.*ll/Iarsh, Los Angeles, Calif,

Application April 7, 1950, Serial No. 154,709 1 claim. (criss-9) The present invention relates to catalogue and loose leaf record filing apparatus and in particular to releasably attachable and detachable file sections whereby sections of a file held by the apparatus may be replaced and withdrawn. The present application forms a continuation in part of my earlier led application, Serial No. 693,230, filed August 27,1946, now abandoned for a Visible Display File. f

InA apparatus of this type arranged to maintain pages in separate attachable and detachable sections, it is desirable that such sections, after they are separated from the composite file, may be easily opened and closed for insertion or removal of pages into and from the composite file.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved releasably atta-chable and detachable file sections characterized by the easeand speed with which such sections may be disassembled to allow pages to be entered therein or removed therefrom.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved releasably attachable and detachable le section for holding a section of a complete le characterized by its ruggedness and minimum number of parts.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved releasably attachable and detachable le section having integrally formed parts arranged to resiliently maintain the component parts together.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved releasably attachable and detachable vfile section, the two component parts of which may be fastened together by merely moving one part with respect to the other and which may be separated by either releasing a catch or by exerting a relatively large force between the'members.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved releasably attachable and detachable le section, the component parts of which may be inexpensively manufactured by using mass production methods such as by a Y stamping operation.

, fragmented incorporating the present invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and n Figures 3 and 4, respectively, are sectional Y views taken substantially on the lines 3-3 and The file structures having the 'general reference numeral I vt) and each comprising only two t L-shaped members II, I2, are releasably attachbracket members I4 arranged to engage and maintain the file members I0 in position by cooperation with their integrally formed correspondingly serrated or grooved tongue members I5.

The base supporting member I3 is preferably formed from one or more sheets of metal and may be formed to present an inclined surface and adapted to rest on a flat table, desk or the like, as'shown in my above mentioned application, or preferably, as shown herein the base supporting member may comprise either one plate or a plurality of at backing plates'or sheets welded together as indicated at ISA and of such size for convenient placement in a conventionally sized brief case and the like.

One of the important features of the presen invention resides in the structure of the le structures Il. `Th e rile structure I comprises two L-shaped members, a so-called inner member Il and an outer member I2.

The vertical portions of such L-shaped members IVI and I2 have aflixed thereon, respectively, paper holding pins 25 and 26 arrangedto enter apertured portions 21 and 28 in oppositevertical positions. When the pins 25 and 2B are moved into position in their corresponding apertures 21 and 28, the two L-shaped members Il and I2 are automatically locked, one with respect to the other, due to cooperation of the resilient tongue members 28a and 29 carrying the integrally formed raised portions 30 and 3l, respectively, with the apertured portions 32 and 33 in member I2.

In such relative movement of members II and l2 to produce locking thereof, member- II is guided with respect to member I2 in the passageways 32a and 33a formed by turning back the end portions 34 and 35, respectively, of member I2. One important feature of this construction is that the openings or mouths to such passageways are flared as indicated. Also some guided movement for relative movement of members I Il and I2 is provided by the raised portions 30 and 3| of member II cooperating with the indented portions 36 and 31 and also by engagement of the tongue member 38 on member I2 with the apertured portion 39. All of these cooperating parts have been foundrvery desirable in effecting movement of one le part II with respect to the other part I2 in assembling these parts to form the file 'I Il.

Guided movement of member II with respect to member I2 results until there is engagement between the apertured portion 39 with the tongue member 38 which serves as a stop member. ,In the meantime, due to the resilient nature of the tongue members 28a and 29, the raisedportions 30 and 3| thereon engage Ytheapertured portions 32 and 33 to thereby lock members II and I2 together. These two members may be then unlocked by exerting a relatively large tension force between the members II `and I2 to thereby cause the raised portions 39 and 3I to be cammed out ofk engagement with the apertured portions 32=and 33 or, preferably, a person by his thumb or nger presses down on the free end of the tongue members 213a and 29 extending into the apertured portions 32 and 33 and simultaneouslypull-s ther members H and I2 apart by applying a relatively small tension force thereaixed to the backing plate I3 as, for example, Y

by welding ISB, in a position -for cooperation with the serrated'or grooved tongue members l as shown in Figure 4. It is observed that the'cooperating grooved or serrated cooperating Aengaging faces on theY members I4 and I5 is of such nature as to provide a relatively good anti-friction connection for vertical movement of the composite le II) in Figure l with respect to thev relatively stationary hook or bracket members I4, but yet prevents lateral or horizontalmovement of the composite le with respect V-to such relatively stationary bracket or hook members I4.

Another important feature of the present invention is the provision of the le locking arrangement 59 mounted along the upper edge of the backingplate I3. This locking arrangement 50 includes a longitudinally extending Atreadle bar 5I of sheet metal which is retained on the backing plate by the pair of posts 52, 53 in the form of rivets which are axed to the backing plate I3 and extend through enlarged holes in the treadle lbar 5I with enlarged heads on such posts 52,V 53 retaining the bar in position. These posts 52, 53 in the form of rivets further serve to anchor one end of a leaf spring 56 having its free end pressured into engagement with the lower portion SIB of the treadle bar to normally press the same outwardly inY a position where the free end, as shown in Figure 2, blocksl upvward movement of the composite ille I0, if Van attempt is made, accidentally, inadvertently or otherwise to pull the engaged members I4, I5

Yout of engagement. In such locking position the upper portion 5IB of the treadle bar 5I engages the backing plate I3 to limit movement which otherwise would be produced by the leaf spring 56.

While the treadle bar 5I is shown as one piece to extend the full width of the backing plate I3, it is within the province of the present invention to sectionalize such treadle bar 5I so that there is a single treadle bar for each one of the file structures I0. Each one of such sectionalized treadle bars may carry suitable indicia to indicate the indexed position of the corresponding le structure I0.

When it is desired -to remove the composite le structure Ill from vits assembled position on the backing plate I3, as shown in Figure 2, it is first necessary to press the treadle bar 5I inwardlyl to the right in Figure 2) against the action ofv spring 56 to move the treadle bar end SIA out of the blocking position. Thereafter. thevfile structure, I0 is raised upwardly with respect to the backing plate I3 tov break the resilient connection existing between the cooperating serrated or grooved contacting surfaces `of tongue I5 and bracket or hook I4` While the particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modications may be made v-Jithout departing from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claim is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

`I claim:

A le structure having only two parts for binding the pages of a file, each of said parts being L-shaped and each havingV at least one page holding pin extending in the direction of the verticalleg of the other L-shaped-part, co'

operating guide means formed integrally with the horizontal legs of said L-shaped parts, a resilient tongue memberV having a det'ent formed on one o1" said horizontal legs arranged'to maina tain the other one of' 'said horizontal legs in lockedV position, said cooperating guide Vmeans comprising a,V pair? of passageways at opposite ends of one of said Ypartsy with fiared mouths thereto adaptedrto receive the horizontal leg of the other part, said tongue member cooperating with anotched portion which is disposed at the junctionof the horizontal' and 'vertical legs of the corresponding part, and said corresponding part having an indented portion adjacent said notched portion to 'serve as a guide for movement of said resilient tonguev member into said notched portion.

ALLAN O.

References cited inthe nie or this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date v624,195 l Douglas May 2, 1899 776,924 Little Dec. 6,1904 931,819 YWalker Aug. 24, 1909 1,008,597 Hill Nov. le', 1911 1,780,835 l/Iort'ensen" Nov. 41, 1930 2,083,556 Buchan June 15, 1937 2,095,053 Buchan Oct, 5, 1937 2,111,845 Dunham Mar. 22, V1938 1,121,297 KraubA IJupe 21, 1938 2,127,619 Rosenthal Aug, 23, 1938 2,196,433 `Vaughan Apr. 9, 1940 i 2,262,868 Stein Nov. 18, 1941 2,528,135 Goldsmith Oct. 31, 1950 2,553,372 Schade May 22, 1951 

